Editing Stevenson, Washington (section)

==Geography==
[[File:View of Stevenson, Washington facing south toward the Columbia River, the Oregon Cascades, and Bridge of the Gods, May 2022.jpg|thumb|left|View of the Columbia River from Stevenson]]

The city is situated on the north bank of the Columbia River within the [[Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area]] and is the county seat of [[Skamania County, Washington|Skamania County]]. Stevenson is approximately {{convert|45|mi|km}} east of [[Portland, Oregon]], and {{convert|20|mi|km}} west of [[Hood River, Oregon|Hood River]].<ref name="WSDOT-Map">{{cite WSDOT map |year=2014 |link=yes |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}</ref> Across the river to the south is the city of [[Cascade Locks, Oregon|Cascade Locks]] in [[Hood River County, Oregon]], which is connected via the [[Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)|Bridge of the Gods]], a [[toll bridge]] that also carries the [[Pacific Crest Trail]]. The bridge is {{convert|3|mi|km}} southwest of Stevenson and is the only crossing of the Columbia River between Portland and Hood River.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bridge of the Gods |url=https://portofcascadelocks.org/bridge-of-the-gods/ |publisher=Port of Cascade Locks |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic Bridge of the Gods |date=August 15, 2023 |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/trail-sections/washington/bridge-of-the-gods/ |publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Stevenson has a total area of {{convert|1.79|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|1.65|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.14|sqmi|km2}} is water.<ref name="gaz">{{Cite web |title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files - Washington |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_53.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref> The city lies at an elevation of about {{convert|102|ft|m}} above sea level<ref name="gnis"/> where basalt cliffs rise steeply to the north.{{cn|date=May 2025}} The Columbia widens here into a straight reach that funnels dependable winds, and the city's waterfront at [[Bob's Beach]] is a popular launch site for windsurfers and kiteboarders.<ref name="Port-Beach">{{Cite web |title=Bob's Beach |url=https://www.portofskamania.org/bob-s-beach |publisher=Port of Skamania County |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

=== Climate ===

[[File:View of Stevenson, Washington facing south toward the Columbia River, the Oregon Cascades, May 2022.jpg|thumb|Stevenson in May 2022.]]Located in the western Columbia River Gorge, Stevenson has a warm‑summer Mediterranean climate ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: Csb) that blends the wet marine influence of the Cascades' west side with the drier interior plateau to the east. Summers are warm and distinctly dry: the average high in July is about {{convert|82|F|C|abbr=on}}, and the month typically receives only {{convert|0.6|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://weatherspark.com/y/1224/Average-Weather-in-Stevenson-Washington-United-States-Year-Round |title =Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Stevenson, Washington |website=WeatherSpark |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/united-states-of-america/washington/stevenson-124966/ |title=Stevenson Climate Data |website=Climate-Data.org |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2025}}

Winters are cool, wet, and occasionally snowy; January's mean temperature is around {{convert|35|F|C|abbr=on}} and average precipitation exceeds {{convert|11|in|mm|abbr=on}}. Annual rainfall varies with elevation, ranging from about {{convert|66|in|mm|abbr=on}} at gauges near the river<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/wa/stevenson |title=Climate – Stevenson, Washington |website=BestPlaces |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2025}} to more than {{convert|80|in|mm|abbr=on}} on the surrounding forested slopes. 

Snowfall averages roughly {{convert|13|in|cm|abbr=on}} per year, but sporadic Arctic‑air outflow events funneling through the Gorge can deliver heavier snow and freezing rain. 

Persistent gap winds—typically {{convert|15|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}–{{convert|25|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} westerlies in the warm season and strong easterlies during winter outbreaks—make Stevenson's waterfront "one of the windiest spots in the Gorge", and a popular venue for wind‑powered recreation.<ref name="Port-Beach"/> These winds arise from pressure‑gradient‑driven gap flow through the Gorge, which can generate high‑wind conditions in towns along the Columbia River year‑round.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://publications.anl.gov/anlpubs/2022/02/173231.pdf |title=Gap Flows Along the Columbia River Observed During the WFIP2 Field Campaign |publisher=Argonne National Laboratory & NOAA Global Systems Laboratory |date=2022 |pages=1–2}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| location = Stevenson, Washington
| single line = Y
| collapsed = Y
| Jan record high F = 58
| Feb record high F = 64
| Mar record high F = 77
| May record high F = 99
| Jun record high F = 102
| Jul record high F = 105
| Aug record high F = 103
| Sep record high F = 100
| Oct record high F = 84
| Nov record high F = 64
| Dec record high F = 58
| year record high F = 105
| Jan high F = 37.9
| Feb high F = 42.6
| Mar high F = 50.5
| Apr high F = 57.4
| May high F = 65
| Jun high F = 71.4
| Jul high F = 80
| Aug high F = 80.6
| Sep high F = 73.4
| Oct high F = 60.5
| Nov high F = 45.7
| Dec high F = 37.3
| year high F = 58.5
| Jan mean F = 32.8
| Feb mean F = 35.5
| Mar mean F = 40.9
| Apr mean F = 46
| May mean F = 52.6
| Jun mean F = 58.3
| Jul mean F = 64.3
| Aug mean F = 64.1
| Sep mean F = 58.
| Oct mean F = 48.4
| Nov mean F = 39.1
| Dec mean F = 32.5
| year mean F = 47.7
| Jan low F = 27.6
| Feb low F = 28.3
| Mar low F = 31.4
| Apr low F = 34.6
| May low F = 40.2
| Jun low F = 45.3
| Jul low F = 48.5
| Aug low F = 47.6
| Sep low F = 42.7
| Oct low F = 36.3
| Nov low F = 32.6
| Dec low F = 27.8
| year low F = 36.9
| Jan record low F = -9
| Feb record low F = -4
| Mar record low F = 11
| May record low F = 27
| Jun record low F = 30
| Jul record low F = 34
| Aug record low F = 30
| Sep record low F = 26
| Oct record low F = 15
| Nov record low F = -2
| Dec record low F = -7
| year record low F = -9
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 13.9
| Feb precipitation inch = 11.2
| Mar precipitation inch = 9.1
| Apr precipitation inch = 6.1
| May precipitation inch = 3.4
| Jun precipitation inch = 2.3
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.6
| Aug precipitation inch = 0.9
| Sep precipitation inch = 2.7
| Oct precipitation inch = 6.4
| Nov precipitation inch = 13.8
| Dec precipitation inch = 15.3
| year precipitation inch = 85.8
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in.
| Jan precipitation days = 19
| Feb precipitation days = 16
| Mar precipitation days = 18
| Apr precipitation days = 16
| May precipitation days = 12
| Jun precipitation days = 9
| Jul precipitation days = 3
| Aug precipitation days = 4
| Sep precipitation days = 7
| Oct precipitation days = 12
| Nov precipitation days = 19
| Dec precipitation days = 19
| year precipitation days = 154
| Jan snow inch = 23.4
| Feb snow inch = 14.6
| Mar snow inch = 5.3
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.1
| Nov snow inch = 7.3
| Dec snow inch = 21.5
| year snow inch = 73
| unit snow days = 0.1 in.
| Apr record high F = 89
| Apr record low F = 24
| Aug snow inch = 0
| Apr snow inch = 0
| source = WeatherBase<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stevenson, Washington Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase) |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=61154 |access-date=May 9, 2023 |website=Weatherbase}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2025}}
}}